Operating oil-wells.



'fran strains ,earner cierren WILLIAM D. H'UFF, OFITELA FAYETTE, LOUISIANA, A.SSIGrNORy OF THREE-FOURTHS TO LOUISE GUIDRY MOSS, OF NEW IBERIA, LOUISIANA.

OPERATING OIL-WELLS.

vTo all whom t may concern:

citizen 'of the United States, residing at lla Fayette', in the parish of Lafayette and -State of Louisiana, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements .inOperating Oil-W'ells; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full,'clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to lwhich it .appe'r` tains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to improvements in the operation of oil wellsLand it consists in an improved method whereby the oil may be lifted to the surface of the ground by steam, or gas pressure, created by heat generated in the well, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed; and my invention also relates to improved apparatus for use in carrying out the herein described process. n y

According to my invention a high pressure of steam or hydrocarbon gas, or both, is generated in the well by the use of any suitable source of heat, preferably a series of electric heaters arranged in the interior of the well, and the crude oil is forced upward through Aa central tube, as will be here- -inafter more fully described.

My invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same reference symbols throughout the several views.

Figure l shows a section through the well casing and well, with the inner tubein elevation, -and the electric heating arrangement shown diagrammatically, parts being n nected parts.

broken away. Fig. 2 shows a central vertical section through the ejector, but on a larger scale than in Fig. l. Fig. 3 shows a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and looking down; and Fig. 4f shows, on a larger scale, the head of the well casing and con- The well casing l is preferably constructed in the usual way of a series ofsectional joints secured together as the casing is put down in the well. rlhese joints should form a gas-tight `hollow cylinder wall, perforated only toward the bottom as at 2, but instead of the perforations 2, a suitable strainer, such as is well known in the art, may be used if desired. The top section of the casing is perforated, as at 3, to receive the relief pipe Specicatonof Letters Patent. Patgmtgd May 25, 1915, Application led April 6, 1915. Serial No. 19,607.

4 carrying the relief valve 4a, the pressure gage 5, and a suitable safety valve 6. The upper end of the casing is screw-threaded, as at 7, to engage the screw cap 8 beneath which is preferably placedv a suitable packing 9. This cap is provided with a suitable stuiiing box 10, through which passes'the inner pipe ll, which inner pipe is also made up inthe usual way of a series of sections connected together, and the lower section or sections of the pipe are preferably perforated, as at 12, to permit the flow of said liquid into said pipe vfrom'the interior of the casing,1. The upper portion of this inner pipe. 11 terminates in a delivery pipe 14 for carrying the liquids delivered from the well to any desired receptacle,.not shown, and this pipe 14 is controlled -by a valve l5.

l provide on 'the interior of the casing Suitable heating devices such, for instance, as electric heaters 2l, which are preferably cylindrical in` shape and surround the inner pipe 11, asshown. Any suitable electric heater may be used in this connection, and I do not claim any special form of heater as part of my invention. rlhese electric heaters are supplied with electricity from theinvdividual feed wires 22, which are bound up in a suitable insulated cable 23, which cable is secured to the inner pipe in any converts' ient way, as by the strips 24. This cable passes up through a plug 25 in the well' casing, and the individual conductors are connected to separate switches located ini-*the switch-board 26, each of which switchesris adapted to make connection with the main 27 which is supplied with electricity from any suitable source, as the dynamo 28. rl`he return main 29 is'grounded in any convenient way, preferably by connecting same to the inner pipevll, as shown in Fig. l, thus providing an all-metallic circuit for the electricity.

ABetween the mains 27 and 29 a suitable volt meter, indicated by V, is preferably provided, and suitable resistance coils and ammeters A may be provided 'for each switch, as shown in Fig. l. rilhe electric connections are shown diagrammaticallyin said yligure, but the apparatus is intended to provide means for heating each electric coil,

'and for regulating the temperature of each coil, independently of all the others.

I provide a suitable ejector for use on the well known principle of such apparatus,V

' pipe 11, i

upperportionqofy the innerpipe 11 in any lowering may through the lwell before the -cap is put on,

comprising a short bulbous connection 40 between the adjacent lengths of the inner which connection is attached to the convenient way, as by the coupling 41,- and 4mounted in the upper end of this bulbous Vconnection 40 is lthe upper nozzley 43' of the ejector, which upper nozzle is provided with a conical chamber 44, into which projects the upper end ofthe inlet nozzle 45, as' shown most clearly in Fig. 5. This lower nozzle should be preferably steadied in the connection 40, and I have shown a spider 46used for this purpose, which spider is preferably made three-legged in order to be conveniently slipped intoplace in the connectionv 40, and may be held in place in any convenient way, as by the'screw bolts 47. Any suitable mode of mounting the ejector may be employed.

To raise and lower the inner tube in the well, a suitable hoist 50 may be attached t0 the top of said tube, and the raising and paratus (not shown) installed when the well is bored and used in handling the pipes. In

voil wells there is nearly always more or less water, and in those wells that require pumping, or in' old or abandoned wells, there is often considerable water to be removed before the. well can be caused to deliver the crude oil properly.Y

' -In the operation'rof;thedevice, the. first-rapid inrshcf gases 4into the point is to .determine the .depth below the surface of the ground of the static head X of the liquid inthe well; this may be done by a ioating plummet introduced into the as is well known inthe art. Having determined the depth of the static head, and incidentally the height the liquid is to be raised above the static head, I submerge 'the ejector to a point-suiliciently below the static head to requireadequate pressure to be generated in the casing to depress the level of the liquid therein below the location of said ejector, in order to give pressure suilicient to cause the ejector to lift the column ofv liquid inthe inner tube to surface of the ground. Suppose, for instance, the static-head to be 400 Vfeet below the surfacey of the ground, and assumto be strong enough to stand an internal pressure of say 400 pounds per square inch, the ejector inlet should `preferably be about 1200 I the ground. Then the cap of the well being closed, and the electric connections made, electricity is turned onto operate the submerged heaters, with the result that the liquid in the well casing is heated and steam and hydrocarbon steam andk other gases are generated, which gases will rise up liquid anduaccumulate in the top of the well casing, forcing the. liquid down in said casing from the level indibe accomplished by the apfeetbelow the surface of cated at X, or static head, to a point below the inlet opening of the ejector. 1 y

When there is only water in the ,well casing, steam, of course, will be the only gas generated, and hereafter whenever` the wordsv gas or gas pressure, or gaseous pressure, are. used I mean to include inl these generic terms steam and steam pressure, and in thesame way I mean by the term liquid to include water, and such other liquid, or semi-liquid, compositions, or mixtures of matterl as are found in. wells of the character described. Under certain conditions, it may be desirable to furnish more water than is already available, and forthis p'urpose either the `pipes 4 orA 14 `maybe connected to any suitable source of water'Supply, and water may be pumped into, or vallowed to runinto providing a liquid mass suitable for the purposes of generating the steam, whereby the process is carried out.y

When the surface of the liquid falls below the inlet opening 48 of the inlet nozzle 45', there will be a rush of gas under pressure through said nozzle and up through the upper nozzle 43 which will liquid in the inner pipe above'said upper the well, thus enter the column of nozzle and cause an upward flow of the liquid in the upper portion of the inner pipe 11.-

In addition to the dynamic eect ofthe ejector, the steam, and especially the gas, entering the column of liquid above the nozzle 43 will also tend to promote the upward ow of the column of liquid above the nozzle 43 under the well known principle of the aerial column, as shown, for instance,in thefpatents to J Pohle entitled Process of elevating liquids, No. 487639, granted December 6, 1892, and No. 5326994` for Process of and'apparat/us for elevating liquids, granted January 15, 1895. Furthermore, the mixture of liquid and gas will be lighter than a similar columnof liquid alone, and the pressure required to lift the superposed column in the inner lpipe will be materially decreased. i'

Suitable heaters may be `provided along the length of the inner pipe" 11 above the ejector, whereby a. high temperature of the liquid, and more especially ofthe gases con-.c

the well casing, until .the gaspanget into the ejector nozzle; but should the ow of column in the inner tube to balance theeX` cess gas pressure in the casing, which might under certain circumstances be suihcient to cause the liquid to flow out of the top of the inner) tube; but this lifting of the` inner column of liquid by pressure alone will have no other effect than the advantageous one o f facilitating the starting up of the operation after the gas gets below the inlet nozzle of the ejector, when the opera. tion under the ejector principle becomes continuous, and commensurate with the flow of oil into the bottom of the well. 1t will be obvious that the actual height of the liquid has to be raised is determined by the depth of the normal static head of the well below the surface of the ground.

The operation of the apparatus will continue indefinitely as long as the flow of oil continues through the screen, near the lower end of the casing, and adequate pressure is maintained in the upper end of the casing above the liquid therein. But should the liowof oil through the screen be diminished due to the thickening of the oil or other causes, and it be necessary or advisable to warm and consequently thin the consistency of the oil in the region surrounding the screen, the valve 15 is closed, and the pressure is permitted to escape. through the valve 4a, permitting the liquid in the casing to assume the normal static head. Then heat this column of liquid by the electric heaters, and closing the Valve 4, generate pressure enough in the upper casing to force a portion of the heated oil in the casing back through the screen and into the oil strata, heating the same and thinning the oil, and incidentally cleaning the screen. This heating process can be repeated until the strata are adequately ,heated to permit the free flow of the oil in the well again. l/Vhen the oil again Hows freely the valve 15 is opened -and processu of ejecting the liquid isresumed. This heating and cleaning of the screen and oil strata may be performed as often as found necessary.

It may be desired, in certain cases, to raise or lower theinlet 48'of the ejector to suit varying conditions of the How of liquid in the well, such for instance as are occasioned by .the lowering of the natural static head of the liquid in the well. This may be accomplished in various ways, for instance, by using the derrick arrangement, not shown, employing in constructing the well and by attachingthe hoist 50 of the inner pipe 11, andthus raising or lowering said pipe.

While T have shown herein the preferred form of apparatus and have described the method of operating the same, it will be obvious that various modifications, both in the apparatus and in the mode of operai' tion, may be employed which could be used \-withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, and I do not intend to limit myself to details of construction and operation, except such as are specifically set forthin the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States. is

1. T-he herein described method of operating oil wells, which consists in closing said well at its top and sides against steam or vother gas pressure, inserting in said closed top well a pipe provided with an ejector opening through they side ofsaid pipe and adapted to direct gas pressure upjward in said pipe, and extending said pipe v to the desired depth below the normal surface or static head of thel liquid inthe well, and in finally supplying heat to the interior of said well, whereby gas under pressure is generated from the liquid in said well, causing the fluid pressure of said gas to force the surface of the liquid inside the well below the inlet nozzle of said ejector, and causing the gas so generated to blow up through said pipe, thereby lifting to the surface of the ground the column of liquid in said pipe, substantially as described.

2. The herein described method of operating oil wells, which consists in closing said well at its top and sides against steam or vother gas pressure, inserting in said closed top well a pipe provided with an ejector opening through the side of. said pipe and adapted to direct gas pressure upward in said pipe, and extending said pipe to the desired depth below the normal surfaceor static head of the liquid in the well, and in finally electrically generating heat to the interior of said well, whereby gas under pressure is generated from the liquid in said well, causing the iuid pressure of said gas t force the surface of the liquid inside the well below the inlet nozzle of said ejector, and causing the gas so generated to blow up through said pipe, thereby lifting to the surface of the ground the column of liquid in said pipe, substantially'as described.

3. The herein described method of operating oil wells, which consists in inserting a casing into said well, closing said casing at its top and sides against steam or other gas pressure and providing means for the admission of liquids at or near the bottom of said s of said gasto force the level-,ofthe liquid inside .said casing down below the-inlet nozzle of said ejector in the inner pipe, thereby causing 'said gas to lift the column of liquid in the inner pipe through the top of the well,

substantially as. described.

4. The herein described method of operating oil wells, which consists in inserting .a casing into said well, closing said ,casing at. its top and sides against steam or other gas pressure and providing means for the admission of liquids at or near the bottom of said casing, inserting an inner pipe in` said casing and extending same below the static head of the liquid in the well, said inner pipe being provided with an ejector near 4the lower end thereof, and in finally supplying heat to the interior of said casing b'eneath the surface of the liquid in the well, and also above 'the surface of said liquid, whereby gas under pressure is generated 'from the liquid in said well, causing the iuid pressure of said gas toforcelthe levelV of the liquid inside said casing down below the inlet nozzle of said ejector. in the inner pipe, thereby causing said gas to lift the column of liquid in the inner pipe through the top of the well, substantially as described. l l

5. The herein `described method of operating oil wells, which consists in inserting a Vlevel of the liquid inside said casing down casing into said well, closing said casing at its `.top andsides against steam or other .gas pressure and providing means for the admission ofyliquids at or near the bottom of said casing, inserting an inner pipe in said casing and extending same below the static head of the' liquid in the well, said inner pipe being provided with an ejector near the lower end thereof, and'in finally electrically generating heatto the interior of said casing beneath the surface of the liquid in the well, whereby gas under pressure is vgenerated from the liquid in said well, causing the fluid pressure of said gas to force the below the inlet nozzle of said ejector in the inner pipe, thereby causing said gas to lift the column of liquid` in the inner pipe through the top of the well, substantially as described.

6. The herein described method of oper- Y ating oil wells, which consists in inserting a vcasing into said well, closing'said casing at its top and sides against steam or other gas "pressure and providing means for the ad- -mission of liquids at or near the-bottom of said casing, inserting an inner pipe in said casing and extending same' below theI static head of the liquid in the well, said inner pipe being provided with an ejector near the lower end thereof, and in finally electrically generating heatto the interior of said casing beneath the surfacel of the liquid-in the well, and lso above the surface of said liquid, whereby gas under pressureis generated from the liquid in vsaid well, causing the fluid pressure of *saidl gas to force the level of vthe liquid insidesaid casing down below the and means for generating heat in said casing, substantially as described.

8. In an'oil well the combination with a` vcasing and a closed cap therefor, of an inner pipe projecting down through said closed cap and. provided with an ejector opening into the interior of said casing-and adapted lto direct steam or other gas under pressure upward through said inner pipe, and electric heaters mounted in said casing for generating heat therein,- substantially as dej scribed. j

9. In an oil well the combination with a casing and a closed cap therefor, of an inner pipe projecting` down through said closed cap and provided with anejector opening into the interior of said casing andadaptedi'" to direct steam or other gas under pressureupward through said inner pipe, and electric heaters carried by said inner pipe and` adapted to generate heat insaid casing, .sub-- stantially as described.

10. In an oil well the combination with a casing and a closed cap therefor, of an inner pipe projecting down through vsaid closed cap and provided with an ejector 'v opening into the interior of said casing and adapted to direct steam or other gas under pressure upward through said inner pipe,

and electric heaters mounted in said casingfor generating. heat therein, with means for conveying a current of electricity through said electric 4heaters eithery singly or in groups, substantiallyas described.

11. In .ansoiL-Well the combination with acasingfanda closed 'captherefon of an inner pipe projecting down through said. closed ycap'and provided with'an'ejector opening into the .interior .of said casing and adapted `to.direct steam or `other gas under pressure upward through s aidvinner pipe", and electric heaters carriedby'said inner pipe and adapted to generateheat in said casing, with means for conveying a current o/f electricityv through said-electric heaters either singly or in groups, substantially as-described.

12.1Apparats'xor operatingoil wells,

comprising-a casing for 4the'well openat or near the bottomand having gas-tight 'sides and top, an inner pipe passing through incassa the closed top of said casing and opening into same near its bottom, and means for generating heat on the interior of said casing,- co-mprising a series of electric coils mounted on said inner pipe, a source of electricity, an electric circuit between said source of electricity and saidcoils, and means forvcutting said coils into or out of said circuit when desired, substantially as described.

,13. Apparatus for operating oil wells,- comprising a casing for the Well open' at or near the bottom and having gas-tight sides and top, an inner pipe passing through the closed top of said casing and opening into same near its bottom, and means for generating heat on the interior of said casing, comprising a series of electric coils mounted on said inner pipe, a source of electricity, an

electric circuit between said source of electricity and said coils, and means for cutting said coils, singly or in groups, into or out of said circuit when desired, substantially as described. l i

' 14. Apparatus for operating oil wells,

comprising a .casing for the well open ator I near the bottom and having ,gas-tight sides and top, with means for limiting the pressure in said casing, an inner pipe passing through the closed top of said casing and opening into same near its bottom, and

means for generating heat on the interior.

of `said casing, substantially as described.

l5. Apparat-us for Aoperating oil wells, comprising a casing for the well open at or near the bottom and having gas-tight sides and top, with means'for limiting-the pressure in said casing, an innerpipe passing through the closed vtop of said casing and opening into same near its bottom, and means for generating heat on the interior of said casing, comprising a series of electric coils mounted on said inner pipe, a source of electricity, an electric circuit between said source of 'electricity and said coils, and means for cutting' said coils into or out of said circuit when desired,'substantially 'as described. K

16. Apparatus for operating oil'wells, comprising a casing for the well opeinaty or near the bottom and having gas-tight sides and top, with means for limiting the pressure in said casing, an inner pipe passing through the closed top of said casing and opening into. same near' its bottom, and means for generatingheat on the interior of said casing, comprising a series of electric coils mounted on said inner pipe, a source of electricity, an electric circuit between said source of electricity and said coils,and means for cutting said coils, singly or in groups, into or out of said circuit when deon the interior of said casing, substantially as described. I

18. Apparatus for operating oil wells, comprising a casing for the well open at or4 near the bottom and having gas-tight sides and top, an inner pipe passing through the closed top of said casing and opening into same near its bottom, an upwardly-disposed ejector nozzle mounted in said inner pipe near the lower end thereof, and an inlet nozzle passing through the side of said inner pipe below said ejector nozzle for transmitting fluid under pressure upward through said inner pipe from the interior of said casing, and means for generating heat on the interior of said casing', comprising a series of electric coils mounted on said inner pipe, a source of electricity, an electric circuit be-' tween said source of electricity and said coils, and means orcutting said coils into or out of said circuit when desired, substantially as described.

19. Apparatus for operating oil wells, comprising a casing for the well open at near the bottom and having gas-tight sides and top, with means for limiting the pressure in said casing, an inner pipe passing through the closed top of said casing and opening into same near its bottom, an upwardly-disposed ejector nozzle mounted in said inner pipe near the lower end thereof,

and an inlet nozzle passing through the side of said inner pipe below said ejector nozzle for transmitting fluid under pressure up- `Ward through 'said inner pipe from the interior of said casing, and means for generating heat on the interior of saidcasing, substantially asdescribed.

' 20. Apparatus for operating oil wells, comprising a casing for the well open at or near the bottom and having gas-tight sides and top,` with means for limiting the pressure in said casing, "an inner pipe passing through the closed top of said casing and opening into same near its bottom, an upwardly-disposed ejector nozzle mounted in said inner pipe near the lower end thereof, and an inlet nozzle passing through the side of said inner pipev below said ejector nozzle for transmitting iuid under pressure upward through said inner pipe from the interior oi. said casing, and means for generating heat on the interior of said casing,

' ed on said inner pipe, a source oi electricity,

' throughthe side of.

an electric circuit` between said source Iof electricity and said coils, and means for' cutting said-coils into or out of said circuit, when desired, substantially as described."`

21., Apparatus lfor operating oil wells, comprising a casing Jfor the well open at or near the `bottoni and having gas-tight sides and, top, an inner pipe closed -top of saidwcasing and opening into samenear its bott'ingan upwardly-disposed ejector nozzle mounted'in said inner pipe near the lower end thereof, and an inlet nozzle passing through the side of said inner pipe below said ejector nozzle for transmitting fluid under pressure upward' through said inner pipe from the interior of said casing, .and means operated by electricity for generating heat on the interior ofsaid casing, substantially as described.

22. Apparatus for operating oil wells, comprising a casing for the well open at or near the bottom and having gas-tight sides and top, an inner pipe passing through the closed top of said casing and'opening into same near lits-bottom, meansv for raising and lowering said inner pipe relative to said casing, an upwardly-disposed ejector nozzle mounted in said inner pipe near the lower end thereof, and an inlet nozzle passing saidinner pipe below said ejector nozzle orV transmitting fluid under pressure upward throughsaid inner `pipe from the interior-of said casing, and meansjfqr of saidica `:,ng, substantiallyas described. W23. Apparatus Vfor operating oil wells, comprising a casing for'the well open at or `naar thebottoiii' and havingcgas-tightsides andtop, an inner pipe passing through the o closed Vtop of'fsaid casing and opening into' lowering said innerjpipe relative-to said Q: l,.ca'sing, an upwardly-disposed ejector nozzle' same hear its bottom, means for raisingand "mounted in saidginner lpipe near the lower end thereof,l and.- air inlet nozzle passing thrughjthe 'side oi. said inner pipe below said ejector nozzlel for transmitting iuid un der pressure upward through said inner pipe from the interior of said casing, and

means vfor generating heat on the interior ofn n lc'oi'ls mounted on said inner source of electricity and said coils, means passing through the generati-ng heat on -the interior -into. or. out of said circuit when ture.

said casing, comprising a series of electric electricity, an electric circuit between d an for cutting said coils into or; ut of said circuit when desired, substantially as described.

24. Apparatus for operating oil wells,

comprising a casing for the well openat or near the bottom and having gas-tight-sides'" pipe, a source of said and top, with means for limiting thmpresl surev in' said casing, an inner pipe passing through vthe vclosed top oi said casing and opening into Asame near its bottom, means for raising and lowering said iimerpipe -relative to said casing, an upwardly-disposed ejector nozzle mounted'in said'inner 'i pipe nearl the lower endlthereof, and an inlet nozzle passing through the side of said inner pipe below, said ejector nozzle for transmitting fluid under pressure upward y.

inner pipe from the interior of said casing,

through said and` means for generating heat on the interior of said casing, substantially asde'scribed.

25. Apparatus 'for' operating oil vwells, comprising a casing for the well open at or near the bottom and having gas-tight sides and top, with means for limitingthe pressure in said casing, an inner pipe .passing lthrough the closed top of said casing, and

opening-into saine near its bottoi'in'means for raising and lowering said linner pipe rela- 'tive tosaid casing', an upwardlydisposed ejectorl 'nozzle mounted -in said innermpipe nozzle passing throu h the side of said invner pipe below said ejector nozzle for transmitting fluid under pressure upward through .said innerpipe from the interior of said casing, and means for 4generating heat on the interior of said casing, comprising a se' ries of electric coils mounted on said inner pipe, a lsourceof electricity, an electric circuit-between Isaid source of electricityand',

wiLLiAii D. HUFF. 

